“Purakaunui” by Seafog

Shop display of re-purposed NZ Music Month poster at Too Tone Records (2010-2017) in Dunedin.

New Zealand Music Month day #7 comes from Port Chalmers (Koputai) and a place over the hill called Purakaunui. Koputai seadogs Seafog released a double album recently and “Purakaunui” is a song from the album full of coastal atmosphere.

Seafog’s “Purakaunui” is an updated take on the version from almost 20 years ago recorded by frontman Robin Sharma’s previous band Jetty.

The tiny settlement of Purakaunui is formed around a tidal inlet and overlooks Blueskin Bay. It is an area surrounded by history. To the East is Whareakeake (Murdering Beach), and to the West is Mapoutahi Pa, places of grim history referenced in the song.

Although it’s only 30 minutes from Dunedin city centre, Purakaunui is a world away in time and oasis of somewhat haunted peace now, in part because it’s hard to get a mobile phone signal there. The small cemetery in Purakaunui is also the resting place of Dunedin music legend Peter Gutteridge (The Clean, The Puddle, Snapper).

Mapoutahi

“Voice” by Seafog

Lost at sea in an oceanic fog somewhere north of Dunedin city centre is Port Chalmers’ trio Seafog. After an enthralling, spindly debut album of spiderweb guitar-pop called “Raise Your Skinny Fist” (2015), Seafog delivered a more solid treat on their “Dig it On Up” EP (2017). Now they are back with an audacious double album of blistering reverb-washed jangling guitar noise. Here’s the relatively calm and restrained “Voice” to ease your way into Seafog’s universe.

Seafog’s twin guitar din is massive on “Animal Lovers”. The bass-less trio – Robin Sharma (vocals & guitar), Nigel Waters (guitar) and Marty Sadler (drums) – gets a sonic turbo-charge from another sparkling, resonating echo-chamber production from recording alchemist Forbes Williams (who also recorded recent Dunedin albums by Francisca Griffith and Negative Nancies). The band sound like they are emitting sonic sparks here – a Roman Candle of noise.

There’s a lot to digest on “Animal Lovers” – 16 dense and meaty songs, including a booming revisiting of “Purakaunui” from guitarist/ vocalist Robin Sharma’s previous late 1990s/ early 2000’s band Jetty.

Sharma’s idiosyncratic vocal delivery – including his distinctive stream-of-semi-concious-delerium-fuelled excursions – give the songs personality, even if it sometimes sounds like he’s possessed by forces beyond his control.

“Animal Lovers” is a perfect combination of raw and distressed Sonic Youth-styled wall-of-guitar noise frenzy (showcased on the relentless thundering 12-minute drone-jam “Feelings”) often set to pulsing motorik drumming, and the loose jangling lo-fi charm of bands like The Verlaines and The Clean in their earliest forms (as the more restrained and crisp “Voice” here demonstrates).

“Animal Lovers” is available on vinyl. It’s available now in Relics record store in Dunedin, or from the band. It may be in other NZ shops sometimes. The LP release is on Vienna-based NZ-focused label Zelle Records so if you are in the Northern Hemisphere head there to buy a copy of the LP. It is an essential acquisition.

 

“The Crown” by Seafog

Day 6 of the 31 Days of May New Zealand Music Month madness keeps things in Dunedin again (and why not?). Your Saturday blast comes from crusty Port Chalmers punks Seafog and their brilliantly odd and spiky tribute to legendary Dunedin venue “The Crown”.

The debut Seafog album “Raise Your Skinny Fist” had a kind of wiry treble guitar sound and spidery lo-fi charm. But this 6 track EP “Dig It On Up” is a more muscular beast, recapturing the primal essence of Sharma’s 90s band Jetty.  It’s available on 12″ vinyl from Zelle Records and it’s one of this year’s essential Dunedin releases.

“The Crown” is the perfect song about The Crown too. “Welcome to The Crown!” says actual Crown proprietor and local legend Jones Chin at the start. “Play some pool! Here’s some change for the jukebox!” 

The Crown is not my favourite venue in Dunedin, but it is the most distinctive of basic live music spaces, essentially a bit of floor at the far end of the public bar. There’s an interesting cross section of Dunedin society co-mingling. It’s best to go with a friend if you are of a nervous disposition or lead a sheltered life away from the fringes. It’s an odd space, wrong shape and size to be a really good venue, although a crowd of 20 feels half full and,when you play there, Jones will serve you a platter of savouries and pastries at the end of the night.

But here’s a surprise – The Crown boasts the best collection of Flying Nun Records era gig posters on display anywhere in the world and the jukebox has local CDs rubbing digital shoulders with classic albums from around the world. If you can’t get to The Crown, just listen to “The Crown”.

JPS Experience poster on display at The Crown